Search form

Softball Pounds Out 12 Hits in 9-3 Win Over Oregon

LOS ANGELES - Lisa Dodd tied her career high with 10 strikeouts and Jodie Legaspi went 3-for-4 with a home run as UCLA (35-4, 7-2 Pac-10) defeated Oregon by a score on 9-3 on Saturday afternoon at Easton Stadium. The Bruins and Ducks finish their weekend series on Sunday with a 1 pm scheduled first pitch.

After recognizing the major donors, including Jim Easton, Arthur Levine and Lauren Leichtman, who made the renovation of Easton Stadium possible, UCLA got off to a hot start in the bottom of the first inning. Andrea Duran started the rally with a leadoff double before Krista Colburn reached on a strikeout-wild pitch, giving the Bruins runners on the corners. Caitlin Benyi followed with a double to left center, plating Duran and advancing Colburn to third. A successful squeeze bunt play by Emily Zaplatosch upped the Bruin lead to 2-0 and after Jodie Legaspi roped a single up the middle to score Benyi, the Ducks made their first pitching change of the day.

Whitney Holum then doubled home Zaplatosch, advancing Legaspi to third base before a single from Tara Henry scored Legaspi to bring the score to 5-0. After Henry stole second, a wild pitch brought Houm home, giving UCLA a 6-0 lead after one inning of play.

After giving up two runs in the top of the fourth inning, Legaspi responded with a two-run home run to right field in the bottom half of the inning, bringing the score to 8-2. UCLA's final run of the day scored in the fifth. Henry led off with a slap-hit single down the left field line, stole second, went to third on a single by Colburn and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Caitlin Benyi, giving the Bruin a 9-2 lead.

A final Oregon run would score in the top of the seventh inning, bringing the final score to 9-3 in UCLA's favor.

Lisa Dodd matched her season-high strikeout total with 10 in the game. Legaspi was UCLA's most productive hitter on a day when six of UCLA's starters had at least one hit. In addition to Legaspi's multi-hit performance, Duran and Henry also had multi-hit days, both going 2-for-3 with runs scored.

The Bruins and Ducks complete the weekend series on Sunday with a 1 pm scheduled start.